Effect of land and water management on rice yield and water productivity in silty loam soil

Aims To explore efficient and sustainable farming practices in Pakistan by assessing the combined impact of two land management methods and four irrigation techniques on the yield and water productivity of two rice (Oryza sativa) varieties. Methods The study evaluated two land management methods (Direct Seeded Rice (DSR) with minimum tillage and Puddled Transplanted Rice (PTR)) and four irrigation techniques (Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Furrow irrigated Narrow Bed (FNB), Drip irrigated Wide Bed (DWB), and Basin Flooding (BF)) using a randomized split-plot design. Green Super Rice 305 (GSR305) was cultivated in 2021, and the Fakhar-e-Malakand (FM) rice variety in 2022, with each treatment replicated three times. Results The DSR under raised beds and PTR under flat basins generally exhibited higher yields and better water productivity. Despite a yield trade-off of 26%, DSR with DWB demonstrated 19% higher water productivity than BF. The GSR 305 yielded 141% higher than FM, with the following yield tendencies: PTR with AWD (10.71 t ha(-1)) > PTR with BF (10.16 t ha(-1)) > DSR with FNB (9.18 t ha(-1)) > DSR with DWB (7.56 t ha(-1)). Deep drainage was observed to be 5 to 9 times larger than the crop's water needs, indicating porous soil conditions. Conclusion The study underscores the significant potential for improving yield and water productivity in rice farming by carefully implementing optimized land and water management practices coupled with suitable varieties. These findings emphasize the feasibility of transitioning towards less resource-intensive and more sustainable rice cultivation practices in Pakistan.